‘The lowest dose of DMT, 0.05mg/kg, was pleasant, and almost all volunteers said they felt like smiling or laughing after receiving it. One volunteer who previously had used heroin thought this dose felt something like that drug: “There was a warm cotton batting sensation.” A few people experienced relatively intense effects from this little bit of DMT we gave on the first day. This warned us that the next day’s large dose might be especially powerful.’ - DMT, The Spirit Molecule by Dr. Rick Strassman

0.05mg/kg, 0.1mg/kg, 0.2, and 0.4mg/kg were the doses of exogenous dimethyltryptamine administered to volunteers in the trial summarized in “The Spirit Molecule”. While most of the public interest as it pertains to DMT is in regards to the vividly psychedelic reports from the highest doses, it’s rather intriguing that there was such a simplistic yet clearly positive emotional response to the lowest dose of 0.05mg/kg.

Smiling and/or laughing are two ways of externalizing a positive emotion one might feel inside. The extent to which the general public consistently strives for these feelings is virtually immeasurable. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on an annual basis in the hopes of bringing a smile to one’s face and possibly even some laughter in the mix. In many cases, the concept of pleasure can tend to be confused with the underlying basis for the feeling of happiness. At times it can almost appear that human existence within itself can possibly be based on a never ending quest for sustained happiness.

Perhaps that “quest” can be simplified…

Perhaps we should take a look at ourselves, our world from an extremely basic viewpoint.

In our recent piece titled “Making DMT 101”, we outlined the fact that it appears rather clear that elevated melatonin levels coupled with suppressed CO2 levels lead to the synthesis of DMT internally. Like any good analysis, if lower than average CO2 levels in the body can lead to potentially happier “spiritual states”, the question must be asked… what happens if we do the exact opposite and increase the CO2 levels in the body?

In 2009, the science journal “Cell” published a paper outlining the effect of CO2 inhalation in mice as it pertains to fear. The summary of the study is as follows: Buffering pH attenuated fear behavior, whereas directly reducing pH with amygdala microinjections reproduced the effect of CO2. These data identify the amygdala as an important chemosensor that detects hypercarbia and acidosis and initiates behavioral responses. They also give a molecular explanation for how rising CO2 concentrations elicit intense fear and provide a foundation for dissecting the bases of anxiety and panic disorders.

It’s rather common knowledge that the metabolism of food produces carbon dioxide (CO2) as a byproduct of combustion. Some foods lead to greater increases in CO2 than others as observed in a 1993 study published in the journal Chest. It was verified that a high carbohydrate led to significantly greater vCO2 (carbon dioxide production) compared to a high fat diet.

From an extremely simplistic viewpoint of diet, frequency of eating, and alcohol consumption, it’s rather apparent that the average person consumes more than enough to keep their CO2 levels consistently elevated. High sugar diets coupled with “happy hour” drinking ensure that the suppression of CO2 will not happen in the body. Couple this with the erratic breathing pattern of a person with anxiety due to elevated CO2 levels from their diets and you have a cycle that perpetuates itself indefinitely.

Let us be clear that CO2 is necessary in the body for proper function. However, exaggerated amounts that stay elevated for prolonged periods of time do not appear necessary or beneficial to the body whatsoever.

When it comes to melatonin levels it is rather abundantly clear that the excessive, constant usage of cell phones, computers, and television all play a distinct role in consistently suppressing melatonin production. There is also the equally important factor of depressed melatonin synthesis when in a “focused” and possibly frantic brain wave state such as Beta. These key environmental aspects would inherently appear to take away the entire foundation for DMT synthesis within the body.

Remember… smiling and/or laughing from 0.05mg/kg?

If all we really need to feel happy is to naturally synthesize DMT levels comparable to the 0.05mg/kg dosage, why not go straight for the gusto rather than the middleman of money, goods, and products?

“MRI scans showed that he and other long-term meditators - who had completed more than 10,000 hours each - experienced a huge level of "positive emotions” in the left pre-frontal cortex of the brain, which is associated with happiness. The right-hand side, which handles negative thoughts, is suppressed.“ - The Independent, 2007

Maybe Ricard produces the equivalent of 0.05mg/kg DMT dosage with each waking breath?

It’s rather amusing and at the same time a bit sad that we live in a society that provides the precisely optimized environment to suppress any internal production of the “Spirit Molecule” while in a conscious, waking state. It wouldn’t seem like that much of a mystery as to why such a large percentage of the general public is in such an unhappy state constantly striving for material goods to fill the void. This is separate yet extremely intertwined with their overall body health and the countless stabilizing direct and indirect effects of melatonin on virtually every function.

Maybe happiness is indeed biological?

That would undoubtedly point to happiness truly starting from within.

If elevated melatonin levels and suppressed CO2 levels can lead us to "realer than real” uplifting spiritual experiences, suppressed melatonin levels and elevated CO2 levels appear to lead us to the opposite… the never ending quest for a sustained smile. So much weight is put on the extreme effects of this internally produced molecule but it might be the subtle effects that are truly the keys to unlocking what we’re looking for.

Perhaps we are living in a DMT deficient society?

It would appear that we need more “Spirit Molecule” flowing through our brains and veins damn it!

If you appreciate the research that goes into these writings you can tip us at the Q4LT Patreon page. Thank you very much in advance!